Why

Chapter 16

I slammed my car door shut as I stepped out of my car. All of the trees that lined my grandmother’s driveway were turning a vibrant red or a brilliant orange. The chilly October air created a small breeze that caused the trees to move in a soft whisper. The sun was setting and its last rays of the day gleamed onto the whole setting and I couldn’t help to feel at complete peace.

I breathed in a deep breath and smelt the familiar smell of smoke as it rose from a few of the many chimneys on top of my grandmother’s mansion. 

As beautiful as this all was, I was only able to admire it for a short time before I walked across the lawn and headed into the house. Warm air instantly greeted me but no matter how beautiful and cozy everything was, I was chilled to the bone.

I grabbed a glass from the kitchen cupboard and filled it up with water. I got another glance at the outside with its warm embrace, but somehow it seemed like a camouflage. To hide all the secrets of this ancient house.

The clock on the wall read that it was six thirty. Great. That means I’m late.

I set my glass into the sink and went searching for my grandmother to tell her that I made it back. She was probably just freaking out.

My grandmother wasn’t in the tea room or the parlor. I checked the front room where the party was and even my bedroom. I have a pretty good idea of how this house is laid out and I have explored the whole place by now, but some of the older parts of the house don’t have electricity and the comforting warmth and peace I felt earlier by the fall ambers were soon replaced by the dark of the evening. I could still see, but that didn’t help shake the chills that went up my spine at every slight sound.

I picked up my pace and stopped when I hit a lit hallway. Recollection hit me and I remembered Jacob’s door to his room. I had never been in all the rooms in this hallway, but since they were all rooms maybe one was my grandmother’s.

I searched in three rooms that were all the same: Big, old, and unused. I sighed and shut the door to yet another room and opened a new one.

Behind this door my Grandmother was sitting in a room that was laid out almost exactly like the other ones. An old white dresser was against one wall with a canopy bed in the middle. A vanity was closest to the window that had a window seat like mine. On the other side was a fireplace with two old fashioned chairs facing the fire and in one of them was my grandma.

She didn’t look up and smile like she usually did when I entered the room but instead gave me a sad loopy smile while staying in her chair. “Sorry for not knocking I just wanted to say I made it home.” She didn’t bring up how I was late or even look at me again.

I slowly walked to the other side. In her hand was a wine glass and on the side table was a halfway empty bottle of wine. “How much of that have you drank?” I asked swiping away the bottle.

She shrugged her shoulders and waved me away. “Not much. Now darling please can you leave I’d rather you not see me like this.” She tried to take another sip but I grabbed the glass too.

This was so weird. A lady as respected and high mannered as my Grandmother was getting drunk alone. “Why are you drinking?” I asked trying to help her stand up so I could get her to bed. She was going to have the worst headache tomorrow.

She finally stood up and let a raspy cry. “It’s Jacob.” I stared at her, wanting to find the truth in her eyes but they were too unfocused to read.

“What do you mean?” She turned around from me and looked at the fire again.

“I so thought he was getting better. The moving and eye contact and I-I let my hopes get the best of me.” I sighed.